Floor plate and hanger



W. R. REIN FLOOR PLATE AND HANGER Nov. 20, 1928. v1,692,571

Filed April 16, 1926 Patented Nov. 2o, 192s'. y

uNirED STATES r1 A-TENT OFFICE-v WILLIAM B. REIN, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.k

rLoon PLATE yAnn HANGER.

Application filed April 16,k 1926. Serial No 102,592.

This invention relatesk to fioorf plates and lhangers usable` in connection with electric f wiring in buildings, yandthe general robject for conduits *andv at thesaine timefmake it t unnecessary for the workman, in order to do a good job, kto saw a number of channels running atdifferent angles inthe floor. n

Anotherobject of my invention is to provide a relatively stiff thin yplate ywith knockout portions which plate is adapted to cover the opening in the sub-Hoor through which the electrical connections pass, the plate when` f in suchy position formingV ak complete cover for `this hole so as toy substantially prevent the passage of even relatively, small objects therefrom, or which -will prevent workmen from stepping through they hole, and which will provide a finished appearance tothe job.y Still another object of my 4invention resides in providino an entirely noveldesign of knockout or weaened ortion yin a platelike member, `whichmem er may take the form either of a plate, as is" illustrated yin the drawings herewith,or may be formed as a part of-an electric conduit box or the like.

.Another object is tozprovide an improved type of fixture hanger and means by which it may be readily attached to the loorplate.

y With the 'above andother objects yin View, as will be apparent', this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, al1 as yhereinafter morefully described and claimed. l ,y e c y,

I obtain myfobjects by the mechanism ilzlustrated inthe accompanying drawings wherein y i Figure 1 is a sectional view through a licor, sub-floor and ceiling showing the present invention functioning inconjunction therewith.vv l n l y Figure 2 is a plan View ofthe present invention illustrating the same cooperating with the sub-floor. f y y f Figure 3 is a similar view of the ioor plate forming a part of this invention; and y Figure 4 is a perspective view c of the `ard practice, in bringing wire conduits objectionable.

through the sub-floor and extending them between said sub-floor and the iioor, to make a relatively small. opening in the sub-floor With a number of slots radiating from and connecting with said opening and corresponding in number and direction to the number and direction of the leads or exten-v sions desired. This necessitates a rathercomplicated'sawingor cutting operation and is -expensive when properly done. Frequently it is improperly doneby roughly breaking crvsawing a relatively large hole in the subfloor and eliminating the aforesaid slots. This results in many objectionable qualities such as failure to pass inspection, noisy and weakened floors, etc.

j Ithas also been the general practice heretoforeto support the plate or outlet box of a ceiling fixture' from a bar hanger interposed b'etween and supported byadjining joists rwhich likewisehas been found to` be vThe present invention purposes to simplifyj and strengthen as well as eliminate the objectional features o the prior practices and to remove all incentive to the mechanicrfor doing this work improperly; This isaccomplished by providing a floorplat-e which is designed to cover. anopening in the subfloor and be attached thereto by nails, screws or other suitable' fastening means.y This floor plate isprovidedwith means whereby a number of yconduits maybe passed therethrough and extended in the desiredv directions between thekioor and sub-floor. A hanger for the ceiling pla-te or outlet box iS also so combined with the aforesaid' ioor platethat it is supported thereby and,` may be attached to the sub-ioor.

Reference being had more particularly yto Vthrough which thel conduit 15 Vpasses to'enter and'extend through the space 16 between the :floor 12 and sub-floor 10K. Below thesubfloor 10 and attached tothe opposite edges of thejoists 13 to those carrying the sub-floor 10 is the lathing 17 to which is secured the ceiling plaster 18.L

The present invention comprises a rela-- tively thin y platef19y of a ,size somewhat greater than that of the yopening 14, which it is designed to entirely cover. At its edges the plate 19 extends over and bears on` the the drawing, 10 designates the sub-floor laid sub-hoor 10 at the edges of the opening 14. Here the plate is provided with a series ot apertures 2O for the reception of nails7 screws or other suitable fastening means whereby said plate is securely fastened to the Vsubfloor 10. rlhus at the opening 14; is produced a substantially solid structure for all intents and purposes, the full equivalent of that portion ot the sub-Hoor 10 removed to create the opening 14. It is to be observed that the act otlmahing the opening 14 in the subiioor 1() simply calls :tor the sawing or ycutting ot a rectangular opening with no *adieu*- ing slot-s as was heretofore required.

rlhe plate 19 'has a plurality ot' discs or ltnoclouts 21 formed there trom with weal'- ened connections tothe body oi said plate whereby they may be readily removed indi- -vidually and independently. Radiating trom each of these discs 21 is al series of tongues 22 formed from the plate 19 by cutting the same at the sides ot each tongue. Thus at the point where it is desired to bring a conduit 15 through the plate 19 one ot' the discs 21 is removed, thus creating an opening 4(Figure 1) in the plate through which one conduit 15 is passed.

After the conduit 15 is passed through the opening 23 the direction or' tie extension thereof between the' sub-floor and floor is determined and it is bent inthe line ot the tongue 22 most nearly .approximating this direction. The free or inner end 'ot this particular tongue 22 is bent downward to per mit the conduit to pass kthrough or into the slotV lel't by thus bending the tongue.

It is manifest that to all intents and purposes the plate 19 is substantially solid e2;- cept where a conduit 15 passes therethrough at which point it is only necessary to remove one ot the discs Q1 and bend down the proper tongue, the other dises and tongues remaining `in place.

Cooperating with and partly supported by the plate 19 is a hanger, shownin Figure 4;, consisting ot a pair of diif'ergent arms 24 connectedV at their lower ends by the supporting bar Q5. At theiriree ends the arms 2l are bent transif'ersely and outwardly7 to create the extensions 26 apertured at 27 ,tor the reception of fastening means.

Adjoining` its edges the plate 19 is pierced by the opposed r ctangular openings 28 through which the freel ends Vof the arms 21 are so passed that extensions 2G thereof rest upon the upper surfaceiot said plate; lVhen the arms Q4 and extensions 25 thereof are so positioned said extensions are directed 'toward the edges of the plate 19 whereby fastening means passing through the apertures Q7 also pass through said plate and enter the sub-floor 10over which the extensions 26 are located. Thusthe hanger is supported not only bythe plate 19 but also by the subfloor 10.

ner the ceiling plate or outlet box together with any lixturethat may be attached to the, stud Q9 is supported by uthe hanger and through* it by the plate 1 9 and sub-Hoorv 10.

ln practice the mechanic cuts a substantially rectangular opening` 111 in the subtl'oer 10, and as this' is a j'iarticularly simple roperation it requires little-lor no skill and involves practically noexpense. The' floor plate 19 is then secured tothe sub-floor 10 at the margins ot' the opening 14 completely covering said opening. VVhen the floor plate 19 has been so positioned thel appropriate discs 21 are removed or knocked. out and the conduits: 15 passed through the apertures in said plate left by said removeddises. As the direct-ion ol the conduits 15 Vthus passed through the plate 19 can then be determined the corresponding tongues 22 are bent downwardly to permit the conduit-s to enter the slots or channels 23 lett by the tongues and thence pass into the space 16 between the hoor 12 and sub-Hoor 13.

The use of the foregoing structure in lieu ofthe methods heretofore in vogue results in a Vworltmanlike job by removing they incentives to the mechanic to do poor work. It maintains the strength of the Sub-floor by covering the same with a strong plate and `thus eliminates objectionable noises and crealrs. Furthermore no large uncovered openings are present in the sub-floor into which the feet and legs et persons may enter to'A their injury.

` It will be appreciated that my invention while particularly adaptable in connection with a floor plate is generically adaptable as a knockout design not only to loor'plates but to conduit boxes or other members forenclosingr electrical conduit installations.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis: 1 Y

1. A closure member of plate like formation having aseries of apertures therein and slots radiating from each aperturelin combination with a knockout closure for each aperture and a bendable closure for each slot formed from and attached to said plate.

Q. A floor plate having a series of apertures therein slots radiating from each apertu'reand, in combination, knock-out closures for saidjapertures and integrally fastened tonguev means for normally' closing each slot.

' 3.*A plate vlike partition member for electill trical installations having a. central imperforate portion integral with the platev and having adjacent tongues substantially radiating from said integral portion, the outer ends of said tongues being integralywith the plate, a plurality of said tongues having a-common y knockout portion.

4. A partition plate forielectricalinstallations comprising a plurality of slitted portions angularly disposed' with respect to each other and forming tongues, the outer ends of n each tongue being integral with the plate, the

adjacent tongues having a common knockout portion. n e, n

`5. A partition member for electrical installations comprising a plurality of pairs of spaced apart slits formcdfin the partition kmember and disposed at an angle with respect toeach otherand converging and meeting, the outer ends of the spaced slits being integral with the plate, the meeting portion of said slits forming a common knockout portion for the slits."

6. A partition member for electrical installations comprising a plate having angularly disposed channel like tongues integrally connected with the plate and adapted to be bent out of the plane of the plate, said tongues meeting and forming at their meeting point a knockout portion.

Y In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

IVILLIAM R. REIN. 

